A lifetime of soccer coupled with my genes has left me with a thick body. Thick arms, thick legs, big booty. I’ve worked hard to carve out a narrow waist and trim myself down to what I am now, but the thickness remains. It’s who I am, it’s what I look like, and it’s what God’s given me.

Despite all the pro-thick/booty-obsession movements lately, it’s sometimes hard to be happy with a bigger frame. I love running and yoga, but envy the stereotypical ‘runner’ and ‘yogi’ bodies I see all over social media. I wonder if, because I’m thicker, other people question my ability to run or practice.

I’ve worked hard for my soccer body.

The hardest realization was that, no matter how hard I work or how clean I eat, I will never look a certain way. Part of this is my own insecurities; the other part is that disingenuous nature of the fitspo we see on social media. Its idiotic to compare myself to a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder with a smaller frame & better gene pool to work with. After all, looking fit is their job. And they work hard and eat clean for months on end to achieve what can be easily captured in an Instagram post.

I may not have the body I want, but I will learn to love the body I have. I’m blessed to have a healthy body that allows me to hike, surf, swim, run and explore the beautiful island I call home. My thick legs might bother me at times, but they earned me a partial athletic scholarship to college and a lifetime of playing soccer. This body has taken me around the world, and will continue to take me on many adventures. For that, I am forever thankful.

Lastly, I’m slowly learning that function and health are monumentally more important than looks. Instead of chasing perfection, I’m chasing progress. Rather than stress about my abs (or lack thereof) I’m proud to live a healthy, happy and fulfilling life. I can’t change my frame or bone structure, but I can take charge of my health.

Here’s a little body confidence motivation to get you through the weekend 🙂